A familiar face will be on the sidelines this year for the Bel Air football program and he's infusing a great deal of enthusiasm.

Tony Cervantes, who graduated from Bel Air in 1985, returns to his alma mater on a mission to make the Highlanders relevant once again in District 1-5A.

"I'm excited about being here and our whole program is really excited about the upcoming season," Cervantes said. "We had a really good spring and our summer workouts have been strong. We would like to have more depth, but that's something we're hoping we'll improve."

Last season, the Highlanders started the season on a strong note, winning their first two games before losing the final eight, including all seven District 1-5A games.

This year, the plan is to get stronger as the season goes and play more consistently.

Cervantes, who was the defensive coordinator at Horizon prior to being hired at Bel Air, said the Highlanders will run a spread offense with the emphasis on ball control. On defense, the goal is simple -- play aggressive and be physical.

"We really have some good athletes and we have guys who are committed to playing hard and improving themselves," the first-time head coach said.

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The Highlanders will be led by defensive tackle John Cereceres, who had 81 tackles last season, and defensive back Steven Franco, who Cervantes calls a talented playmaker.

Offensively, Bel Air will count on running back Angel Ronquillo and wide receiver Omar Ballesteros. Cervantes believes both players will provide big numbers in the Highlanders offensive attack.

"The new offense is exciting," Ronquillo said. "We have picked it up really quickly. We have to continue to get better at it though, and continue to be fundamentally strong. The new offense will give a chance to create big plays."

The Highlanders have a battle brewing for their starting quarterback position between Justin Cortez and David Molina.

Cervantes said both "did some good things" during the summer 7-on-7 football season and have been working hard to learn the new system.

"We have confidence in both of them," Cervantes said. "Both quarterbacks have been really competitive and that's a good thing."

And apparently so is the influence of the new head coach.

"Having Coach Cervantes in the program has been good," Ronquillo said. "There is a new confidence and a new energy in the locker room."

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